Sleepless
by Distant Lights
Summary: While resorted to Frigate Orpheon for peaceful reading, Bowser is approached by a half-asleep Toon Link. The boy requests a bedtime story, and the Koopa sees an opportunity for reprisal. [2014, rewritten 2017]


As drafty and unsightly as it was, Bowser loved that aside from tourneys, no one touched Frigate Orpheon. He used it as a tertiary reading spot when the others were too noisy, like tonight. His primary one, the Fighter's Village library, stayed quiet and tidy despite its primitive service drones nobody bothered to replace. Save when the Ice Climbers chose to play there. He visited earlier for their newest book shipment, but saved it for another day when he heard their squeals. Checkouts stopped years ago after one too many books went missing. His secondary spot, his own apartment, likely still shook from the neighbors' band practice. They liked their music _loud_.

A stack of owned books beside him, Bowser read on the edge of the upper platform. It moved during matches, but otherwise stayed in place. In the reactor behind him, a docile Parasite Queen clung to the inside. The reactor itself was a prop, the Queen was very real. Though a territorial beast, Bowser in time gained her trust. They occasionally shared a glance—as much as Bowser wished to be at home or the library, he enjoyed these moments.

With the burring of machinery, he didn't hear someone port in, nor their shoes tapping against the stage. Bellowing from the Queen plucked Bowser him his literal immersion. He found the Parasite fixated on someone to his right. Turning his head that way, he found before him the slouching kid double of Link—Toon Link. Dressed in plain blue pajamas with a matching nightcap and brown shoes, the tired eyed boy gave Bowser an expecting look. But what did he expect?

Bowser returned the gaze, confused, until he noticed Toon held his book. Then he remembered—Zelda, another Hylian and fellow chess player, fostered Toon Link shortly after reaching This World. If they played late enough, she'd forfeit to put him to bed, which included reading a bedtime story. Strange, yes, but he'd seen much stranger. Bowser guessed it wasn't enough for Toon, and he now sought someone else to read him another. He must have seen him heading for the Stage Center.

Bowser trailed off for a moment, then sighed. He stuck a bookmark in his book and set it aside. With the boy under Zelda's wing, he found it best to just get it over with. He preferred chess matches with actual people. Maybe it'd actually prove worthwhile?

Seeing Toon's face again, however, he recalled something else. A light bulb shining atop his head, he gave a mischievous grin. Toon gave no reaction, but the Queen cocked her head.

Better yet, Bowser figured, why not off two birds with one stone?

 **~ vVv ~**

Bowser casually whistled as the Ice Climbers scooted up beside him, shaking with hands clenched and whimpering for forgiveness. Fresh bruises covered the pair's young, dread stricken faces, Nana's sporting a raccoon's eye. He clearly, and unsurprisingly, heard them approach over the machinery.

He took his sweet time answering, tapping a claw against his chin. A moment passed before he faced the children. Toon stood right behind them, bearing nearly the same face as before. Bowser caught the subtle differences. The Ice Climbers glanced in his direction. During so, Popo noticed the empty reactor to his right.

With a grin of daggers, Bowser nodded at the twins. Hastily answering with their own, they practically tossed themselves off stage. Bowser and Toon watched them plummet into the darkness. A familiar explosion down there made a burst of wind that tossed their hair about.

Bowser heard a familiar clanking against the prop reactor. Turning around, he watched the Queen crawl back inside her dwellings. Looking at Toon, who still stared into the abyss, he likely knew why she'd hid.

Toon returned the stare as he got out his book. Bowser nodded again, beckoning him over while putting his book down. The boy's face lightened, as if he hadn't believed his promise. While true that some Fighters didn't, Bowser kept his word. Unless there came an exception.

If Bowser were to list one trait of Toon's, it'd be another side to the boy he'd observed, respected, and knew how to provoke; one that contrasted his whimsical appearance and usual behavior. Though having a way with words, people took him for a bumbling beast. Finding that useful, he crafted a facade from it. Toon's tiny quirk was also concealed well he'd admit, intentional or not. He knew no one else who may have espied it. Had Zelda at least suspected something, she likely would have mentioned it.

As handy as Toon could have proved against other nuisances—he heard something about a battle of the bands later this month—Bowser was above such exploitation. Perhaps in the past he'd try it, but times change. He kept the possibility ajar though, just in case. Gaining Toon's approval would help that. Clearing his throat, he opened the thin brown book, entitled The Link Who Cried Wolf—Crazy Hand paid for Smash Bros versions of classics from other realms—with cover art of the eponymous Fighters. Toon leaned in towards the first couple pages.

 _ _"There once was a shepherd Hylian who was bored as he sat on the hillside watching the village sheep. To amuse himself he took a great breath and sang out, "Wolf! Wolf! The Wolf is chasing the Navi..."__


End file.
